I've never been a server but your assumptions and entire post are ridiculous. They get paid peanuts (well less than minimum wage- I believe around a 3rd of minimum wage) and fully rely on tips.
"If you don't like it then don't work for a place that requires tips". I don't even know what to say to that.
Here's hoping you or your family never have to wait tables and that all your customers are just like you.
You're spending thousands of dollars of dollars on a trip and you can't pay somebody $15 on a $100 tab?
There's a word for that- actually several- entitled, selfish, inconsiderate, clueless, rude, cheap, etc.
As others have pointed out, everyone is guarantee at least the minimum wage. They are required by law to-do so.
Waiting tables, working minimum wage jobs....yup, been there and done that for something like 5 years or more.
I pay what I think the service is worth, if it's rubbish then it's a rubbish tip. If it's great service then they get a great tip. The amount of money I'm spending on the trip is completely irrelevant.
Erm, no none of them actually.
I guess you have never heard the phrase that "there is no free lunch"?
Free dining is not really free... You are certainly paying for it in other ways. You may not see it but Disney is certainly getting money for the food you are stuffing your face with.
By stiffing the servers your are just being exactly what
@andysol so eloquently described.
I know it's not really free, that's why I put the word 'free' in inverted commas in my original post.
It's not stiffing servers at all, their employer should pay their basic wage. If you're employer doesn't pay you, well I certainly would work from them.
I tip for good to great service. If I get great service they get a great tip.
No, they don't.
As you obviously are not from the US, I'll remind you of a really good piece of advice that starts with, "When in Rome..."
When you are in a different country, you respect their customs. Yes, at it's base, it's absurd. We all know that. But it's how nearly every restaurant with a server works in the US.
If you are not willing to follow our dining customs, you should simply not eat in the restaurants here. Your "protest" against the customs of the country are going to change nothing, but hurt the person who is serving you. Particularly at a place as demanding to work at as a WDW restaurant.
He's perfectly aware of our cultural and economic customs, however, you'll find a certain segment of people (particularly from that country who is still mad we dumped their tea in the harbor and revolted) enjoy being "militant" about it because they think it's a stupid custom.
At it's base, it is - but it's a long-standing cultural tradition that is so deeply entrenched that laws and regulations are written that include it, it is what it is. It's part of all our service professions, because as Americans we don't tend to treat those who provide service as "servants" (at least if you are raised properly).
If I was feeling immature, I'd make some comments about some of the frilly, silly little customs that they have over there - but I'm in a generous mood this morning and won't.
Here's one lesson I was taught in the hospitality industry, though it's applicable to all service jobs. When you target overseas customers, you cater and allow for their customs - you don't expect them to know, understand and follow all of your own. Laws are different, they are required to be understood and followed by the visitor.
If you wish to require certain practices, then you make them a requirement i.e. a mandatory 15% tip is included; all male patrons will wear a shirt etc.
Funny, I don't see any signs up saying 'low tippers not welcome here', and how demanding a job is is wholly irrelevant to a tip level. Demanding jobs should be rewarded by the employer.
Lastly, your colonial rant is very funny. Really, there is nobody in the UK who thinks like that, I don't think 90%+ of the population would even know what the Boston Tea Party was....Well actually many only know it to be a small chain of cafes' with about 20 locations across the country. No-one is being militant about tips, really their not. The attittude is well they are making at least minimum wage, I'm not tipping maybe $30-50 each meal just for someone to do the basic requirements of their job. They don't tip the guy at the front gate, nor the parking attendants, the guy standing at the FP merge line...what's the difference? They're all doing their job.
No, we don't treat service workers as servants. Here, we pay staff their minimum wage (at the very least) and all tips are on top.
